Jakarta. Jakarta’s ride-hailing services remained largely unaffected on Tuesday morning despite a nationwide protest by online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers, many of whom chose to stay online until a mass demonstration scheduled for later in the afternoon.

Partono, a Grab driver representative at Tanah Abang Station, said that while the planned "offbid" protest --where drivers deactivate their ride-hailing apps-- was supported in principle, most drivers would only go offline during peak protest hours.

“I personally will stay onbid. However, if there’s a protest with a clear agenda, we support it. It’s just that we won’t be offbid the entire time, only during the actual protest,” Partono said.

Participation in the protest varied by region. At the Grab shelter in Tanah Abang, operations continued as usual on Tuesday morning. Commuters at the station reported no significant disruptions.

“I ordered a ride earlier and got one right away. Nothing has changed,” said Lina, a passenger. Still, some users opted to switch to lesser-used apps in anticipation of longer wait times.

The Jakarta leg of the protest was scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m., with drivers planning to gather at the Merdeka Palace, the Transportation Ministry, and the House of Representatives (DPR/MPR) complex. The offbid action was slated to last until 11:59 p.m.

To manage potential congestion and security risks, Jakarta Metro Police deployed 2,554 joint personnel. The deployment included 1,913 Metro Jaya officers, 230 from Central Jakarta Police, 320 military personnel, and 91 from the city government.

Four key areas were placed under close watch. The largest deployment was at the National Monument (Monas) area, with 1,080 officers. Another 285 personnel were stationed at the Hotel Indonesia (HI) Roundabout and the Transportation Ministry, while 989 guarded the parliamentary complex. An additional 200 traffic officers were tasked with managing vehicle flow.

Metro Police Deputy Traffic Director Argo Wiyono urged the public to avoid protest sites and take alternative routes. “We urge road users to avoid the roads around these areas or to seek alternate routes,” Argo said, adding that traffic engineering measures would only be implemented in emergencies.

Protests Escalate Outside Jakarta

In Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, tensions rose when hundreds of ojol drivers protested outside the mayor’s office. A peaceful demonstration turned confrontational as protesters carried out a sweeping action, stopping fellow drivers who were still operating. One ride-hailing car was intercepted, with protesters demanding the driver stop working and join the rally.

In Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, hundreds of drivers under the Persatuan Driver Online NTB staged a mass strike. The drivers turned off their apps and rallied outside the provincial legislature, protesting low promotional fares and what they described as unfair slot and shift revocations.

Meanwhile, in Purwokerto, Central Java, drivers from across Banyumas Raya --representing platforms like Gojek, Grab, ShopeeFood, Maxim, and InDriver-- staged a protest at the town square. The demonstration included a coordinated offbid from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., pressing for changes to company policies they deem unfavorable.